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Shayne

I cling to my brother’s arh the door to Whittes have threatened to go limp beneath round at the cemetery that tried to sother than sneakers to begin with As soon as we enter the foyer, the smell of one thousand casseroles hitsbetter? Sorry your loved one died Here, have so potato casserole Hope that helps!

“I’rip on his arm His eyes are bloodshot, and I’m pretty sure he’s still in a state of shock And probably a little high

“You okay?” I ask Stupid question, considering But it’s more than Danny’s funeral He seems distracted and distressed

“I’ives me a perfunctory kiss on the top ofa bottle of brown liquor frolance around, wondering if I’ this Holden and their cousin Christian sit on the white sofa, glassy-eyed and ties loosened, elbows resting on their knees I look to ust—Thayer and Holden’s dad—before he can ust claps him on the shoulder, and Grey tenses Dozens of people I’ve never even athered in the house we’ve called ho on what a tragedy it is to lose so

I want to throw so

A crashing sound brings lass has now shattered on the hardwood Thayer steadies hi blankly at the broken glass His grandfather appears, pulling hiht, and Thayer tries to shake him off

“Man up,” he orders in that quiet-but-deadly tone that brooks no arguhten around Thayer’s upper ar him a little

“Move,” Thayer says through clenched teeth Instinctively, I hurry over to hi to attract as little attention as possible, ready to intervene I knoo things for certain by the look on Thayer’s face One, he’s two seconds frorandfather at his brother’s funeral, and two, nothing is going to stop hiht now

“I’m so sorry for your loss,” I rattle off the cliché line, stepping between the I want to do William Ames is as powerful as he is old, and not nearly as nice He eyesand a kiss on the cheek, knowing people are e to wipe my cheek

“Thank you, Shayne,” he says as if it pains hi htenwith him in an effort to buy Thayer more time

“Is there anything I can do to help?” I ask innocently His piercing blue eyes bore into ry slashes, giving him a villainous appearance

Thayer takes advantage of his distraction and prowls for the door without looking back, and I let out a relieved sigh once he’s out of sight Crisis averted For now

“I think we have it covered,” Williao quickly, taking a step back His nostrils flare and he o after Thayer

“Let hih this man scares the shit out of me I’ve never been this assertive with hi by the unimpressed look on his face, he doesn’t either “He’ll only cause a scene if he stays here,” I say, trying another tactic No one wants that, least of all Willia the Aet it Owning the oldest and er airlinea richfor you to fall fro

He scoffs, walking away, and I don’t waste any ti for the door in search of Thayer